Recipes and news from the makers of Zest Recipe Manager

After my last post it probably comes as no surprise to see blood oranges feature again. The combination of orange and chocolate is a classic that came instantly to mind. My personal taste in chocolate desserts is maximum intensity in a small package, so I can enjoy each decadent morsel without feeling regret half way through. So it seemed natural to create these mini tarts with a dark, slightly bitter ganache offset by zesty pastry and fresh fruit segments.

You need just one decent sized blood orange for this recipe: the zest, finely grated, goes into the pastry and fresh segments are reserved for serving. Once set you should remove the tarts from the fridge so they can be served at room temperature, so the filling is softer and melts in your mouth for the full chocolate hit. Enjoy in moderation!

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the butter, blood orange zest and a pinch of salt, then rub the butter and flour together using your fingertips until there are no large lumps remaining (the mixture should resemble breadcrumbs).

Add the sugar and mix to combine.

Whisk the egg in a separate bowl, then add to the pastry a little at a time, mixing gently to combine. Once you have added enough egg (you won’t need all of it) the pastry should come together into a ball when mixed. Take care not to add too much egg or you will have a wet dough.

Flatten the dough into a thick rectangular block, cover in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 30 mins.

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Prepare 8 x 8cm tart tins or (if like me you don’t have such luxuries) a muffin pan for the pastry. If you have smaller tins or prefer shallower filling you can make more tarts. When using a muffin pan you need to make sure you can get the pastry out: a non-stick pan is suitable as-is, otherwise I recommend greasing lightly with butter.

Remove the dough from the fridge and place between two large sheets of baking paper. Use a rolling pin to flatten it out into a sheet about 2mm thick.

To make each tart shell cut a circle from the pastry that is a bit larger than your tins (I used a 9cm cutter for my 8cm muffin pan), then carefully line a tin by pushing the pastry right into the bottom edge. You may need to stretch/press it a little up the edges so it is at least 2.5cm deep, allowing for a little shrinkage.

Line each tart shell carefully with baking paper and fill with baking beads (or raw rice), then place in the oven to blind bake. After 10 minutes gently remove the lining, then continue baking until lightly browned all over and cooked through on the bottom, up to another 10 minutes.

When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to stand for a few minutes to cool a little (not completely or they could stick). When the shells can be handled, remove them from the tins and place on a wire rack to cool completely before you fill them.

Now make the ganache filling. Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently boiling water to melt, stirring occasionally to avoid any burning on the bottom of the bowl.

Add the cream, sugar and salt into a separate saucepan and warm slowly to dissolve the sugar. Heat the cream to just below boiling point to prepare it for combination with the chocolate.

Now comes the important part: add all of the cream quickly to the bowl of melted chocolate, whisking as you do so. You need to incorporate the cream as quickly as possible to form a smooth ganache (if this is done too slowly the chocolate may seize).

Remove the ganache from the heat and allow to stand and cool slightly. Divide the filling evenly among the tarts, then place them in the fridge to set for 1.5-2 hours.

To serve, remove the tarts from the fridge well in advance so they can return to room temperature. Top each tart with a segment of blood orange and enjoy!

Notes

If you’re lazy like me you can use simple greaseproof (i.e. not decorated on the outside) muffin cases to line your tart shells for blind baking. Despite the pleating I find these do less damage to the tarts than handmade paper linings (unless you spend a lot of time shaping your own linings).

Some ingredients just don’t last in my kitchen, they demand to be used. As soon as Jane brought home some beautiful little blood oranges, my mind was spinning with ideas. These sweet little gems have a distinct flavour and an amazing visual impact — it’s hard to resist cutting them open just to see the gorgeous colours inside! Some disappeared immediately into salads with finely shaved fennel, but a couple were reserved for new experiments.

I’m happy to report the experiments a success! Adding the fragrant zest to a master stock (adapted from a Kylie Kwong recipe) gave a flavour punch that pairs wonderfully with beef cheeks. Hours of gentle braising give the flavours plenty of time to infuse and stand up to the rich, gelatinous meatiness of the cheeks. A splash of juice in the sauce and garnish of fresh segments add a final zing that lifts the whole dish.

Blood Orange Master Stock Braised Beef Cheeks

Recipe Type: Main

Cuisine: Chinese

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 6 hours

Total time: 6 hours 20 mins

Serves: 6

Rich, meaty beef cheeks meet zesty blood orange.

Ingredients

1.2kg beef cheeks

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon blood orange juice

For the garnish:

2 spring onions, julienne

segments of blood orange

For the stock:

3 litres cold water

1 1/2 cups shao hsing wine

3/4 cup dark soy sauce

1/2 cup light soy sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

6 garlic cloves, crushed

2/3 cup ginger slices

6 spring onions, halved crosswise

1 teaspoon sesame oil

6 star anise

2 cinnamon quills

zest of one blood orange

Instructions

Check your beef cheeks for any silvery sinew on the surface and trim as necessary.

Next prepare the stock: add all ingredients into a large stock pot and bring to the boil. Turn down to barely simmering, add the beef cheeks and braise slowly until tender. This will take at 4-6 hours, so make sure you allow plenty of time!

When the cheeks are almost ready you can prepare the sauce and garnish. First, take 2 cups of the stock and place in a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Bring to the boil and reduce by at least half to make a flavourful sauce. (Taste the sauce and reduce further as desired.)

While the sauce is reducing you can prepare your garnish. Julienne the white parts of two spring onions. Carefully cut the remaining peel and pith from the blood orange then segment over a bowl so you can catch the juices.

When the sauce is ready, complete it with a tablespoon of the orange juice, then serve your cheeks with a liberal covering of sauce and garnish of spring onions and blood orange.

Enjoy with a bowl of steamed jasmine rice and some lightly steamed chinese greens.

Notes

You can reuse the stock if you take care to keep it safe. First strain out all the solids, then bring to the boil to kill any nasties. Chill immediately, storing in the fridge if you plan to use it soon (within a few days) or freezer to keep for longer.